Derek Olson got hooked on model trains the way a lot of millennials did-through a grandparent's Christmas layout that he couldn't stop thinking about. Now 33 and working as an electrician in the Twin Cities, he brings a practical problem-solving mindset to the hobby, especially when it comes to DCC programming and layout wiring. He models modern BNSF freight operations in HO scale but has a soft spot for vintage rolling stock that he weathers to look like it's survived decades of hard use. Derek's been writing about model railroading online since 2015, and he's particularly focused on helping newer hobbyists understand the technical side without drowning in jargon.